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ehawk's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is an excellent example filled overview of a swatch of brain related sciences put together in an exceedingly digestible way. I had fun reading this book, looked forward to getting back to it when set aside, and had fun talking about what I was learning and bantering with other folks over ideas and concepts laid out here. That alone makes it something I'd recommend to others. As with other books, if this were my field I might be frustrated, but as a key down the rabbit hole for science related to thought and decision-making, this book was great.
phdpageturner's review against another edition
3.0
This book was good, as far as a nonfiction book goes. However, I expected it to have more insight regarding decision-making. The book had many interesting studies and research, but I felt that the research was slightly disconnected. It didn't revolve around a thesis, or a main point. Overall, I think the book is worth reading. You discover ways in which the brain works. The book may not specifically say how to make a good decision, but I think it still has important information. I would recommend it.
gle119's review against another edition
5.0
Very good, filled with scientific study results that supersede conventional wisdom in accessible, easy-to-understand terms. Loved it!
jldyer's review against another edition
3.0
I'd give this 3.5 stars.
I liked this book, especially at first and there is a huge bibliography to back up the research. The only thing that really struck me was the referral to prison populations. But otherwise a really interesting look at our subconscious and how feelings are very important to decision making.
I liked this book, especially at first and there is a huge bibliography to back up the research. The only thing that really struck me was the referral to prison populations. But otherwise a really interesting look at our subconscious and how feelings are very important to decision making.
cygnoir's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining, informative, and educational. (note to self to write more when life calms down)
fscolli93's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, despite learning halfway through that it's since been taken out of publication because of plagiarism and some different problems. It was well-written popularised science (albeit very heavily based on anecdotes), but now I'm questioning what was actually true and what wasn't!
carol26388's review against another edition
1.0
03/28/14 Update.
I don't know where this review went, but I'm putting it back.
11/09/13 Update.
This is why Goodreads needs to separate itself from Amazon, and why Amazon sucks: http://www.amazon.com/How-We-Decide-Jonah-Lehrer/dp/0547247990
An average of four stars, the "most helpful negative review" is three stars, and the main page and 'negative review' doesn't mentions Lehrer's little plagiarism problem or the fact that the publisher recalled the book--they actually offered refunds. This is why I don't bother with Amazon reviews, and this is why GR will go the way of the dodo.
http://www.amazon.com/How-We-Decide-Jonah-Lehrer/product-reviews/0547247990/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1
7/14/13 Update.
What to do, what to do, what to do. The book is being pulled by the publisher and refunds offered. Clearly, something's wrong. I loved the ideas, even if they weren't Lehrer's, but now I'm afraid he deserves a permanent ban from my to be read pile. I find myself questioning how much was fabricated because he wanted it to be true rather than because there was support for it being true.
Self-plagiarism isn't a problem to me as much as the blatant made-up quotes (see link on Bob Dylan), quotes suspiciously congruent to other authors (see Malcolm Gladwell connection), using Wikipedia as a source and furiously lying through his teeth when discovered.
Thanks to Carly's review for awareness of the issue.
**********************************************
Very fascinating book. Lots of insight into the human mind written in very accessible language. Does not commit the cardinal sin of listing many case studies and then drawing conclusions; instead Lehrer helps make neurobiology and scientific studies accessible by explaining the study and then giving a case study in action. I plan on purchasing this book at some point so that I can think more about the concepts covered and their implications in my own life. He covers basically, how we make decisions, using an emotional brain, a logical brain (aka prefrontal cortex) as well as other areas of the brain. Ultimately by providing more insight into the decision making process, he is hoping to empower us to make better decisions for ourselves.
The first part on emotional brain helped me understand even more why clicker training is so powerful, another area of interest for me. He later makes the interesting point that it is the rational brain we should consult for small, less global decisions (his "which jam" examples) because it is well equipped to parse out the small number of variables needed to decide. This is opposed to the emotional brain, which is actually better equipped to make large global decisions (new couch? which car?) that have multiple areas of data of varying importance. He shows us a little about our desire to find patterns, and how this leads us into decision making traps in finances and gambling. Aversion to loss and our desire to be certain are also fascinating concepts in this book. I also liked that he gave a short chapter at the end summing up the different chapters, and how this information can be integrated into the reader's life.
Occasionally some of the examples are too detailed or too long to make his point as well as they could. The section on gambling, for instance, contained an explanation of a kind of poker. Not being a gambler, I had a hard time following the technical terms he used throughout the pages of the example. I suspect, however, that many examples of sports figures and gambling are meant to attract male readers.
I don't know where this review went, but I'm putting it back.
11/09/13 Update.
This is why Goodreads needs to separate itself from Amazon, and why Amazon sucks: http://www.amazon.com/How-We-Decide-Jonah-Lehrer/dp/0547247990
An average of four stars, the "most helpful negative review" is three stars, and the main page and 'negative review' doesn't mentions Lehrer's little plagiarism problem or the fact that the publisher recalled the book--they actually offered refunds. This is why I don't bother with Amazon reviews, and this is why GR will go the way of the dodo.
http://www.amazon.com/How-We-Decide-Jonah-Lehrer/product-reviews/0547247990/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1
7/14/13 Update.
What to do, what to do, what to do. The book is being pulled by the publisher and refunds offered. Clearly, something's wrong. I loved the ideas, even if they weren't Lehrer's, but now I'm afraid he deserves a permanent ban from my to be read pile. I find myself questioning how much was fabricated because he wanted it to be true rather than because there was support for it being true.
Self-plagiarism isn't a problem to me as much as the blatant made-up quotes (see link on Bob Dylan), quotes suspiciously congruent to other authors (see Malcolm Gladwell connection), using Wikipedia as a source and furiously lying through his teeth when discovered.
Thanks to Carly's review for awareness of the issue.
**********************************************
Very fascinating book. Lots of insight into the human mind written in very accessible language. Does not commit the cardinal sin of listing many case studies and then drawing conclusions; instead Lehrer helps make neurobiology and scientific studies accessible by explaining the study and then giving a case study in action. I plan on purchasing this book at some point so that I can think more about the concepts covered and their implications in my own life. He covers basically, how we make decisions, using an emotional brain, a logical brain (aka prefrontal cortex) as well as other areas of the brain. Ultimately by providing more insight into the decision making process, he is hoping to empower us to make better decisions for ourselves.
The first part on emotional brain helped me understand even more why clicker training is so powerful, another area of interest for me. He later makes the interesting point that it is the rational brain we should consult for small, less global decisions (his "which jam" examples) because it is well equipped to parse out the small number of variables needed to decide. This is opposed to the emotional brain, which is actually better equipped to make large global decisions (new couch? which car?) that have multiple areas of data of varying importance. He shows us a little about our desire to find patterns, and how this leads us into decision making traps in finances and gambling. Aversion to loss and our desire to be certain are also fascinating concepts in this book. I also liked that he gave a short chapter at the end summing up the different chapters, and how this information can be integrated into the reader's life.
Occasionally some of the examples are too detailed or too long to make his point as well as they could. The section on gambling, for instance, contained an explanation of a kind of poker. Not being a gambler, I had a hard time following the technical terms he used throughout the pages of the example. I suspect, however, that many examples of sports figures and gambling are meant to attract male readers.